Safety cut-off valve for refrigerator cars



I 7, J KOPSA ET AL SAFETY CUT-OFF VALVE FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1930 lx'll Feb. 7, 1933. J. koPsA ET AL 1,896,673

- SAFETY bUT-OFF VALVE FOR- REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Nov. 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ITufeniBEs d Jib? 92782 ZZZ/2221220? am 71.. a

Patented Feb. 7, 1933 U ITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE- J'ULIUS KOPSA, OF CHICAGO, AND EDMUND D. BRIGHAJI, .13., OF HIGHLAND PARK,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO NORTH AMERICAN CAB CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SAFETY CUT-OFF UALVE FOR REFRIGERATOR CABS Application filed November 6, 1930. Serial No. 498,899.

- This invention relates tocertain new and useful improvements in safety cut-off valves for refrigerator cars, and more particularly to an improved set of valves adapted to prevent the loss of refrigerant from certain portions of the mechanical refrigeration system of a railway car in case the circulation system at one side of these valves becomes open or broken.

These improved cut-off valves are adapted for. use with various types of refrigerating systems, or other circulating systems for fluids under pressure, but the valves have been especially desi ed for use with the mechanical refrigeratlng system of a railway refrigerator car of the general type disclosed in the reissue patent to Luhr, Reissue No. 17,660, May 13, 1930. In a refrigerator car of this type a compressor located beneath the, car

body is driven fromthe running gear of the car when the car is in motion. The. compressed refrigerant is forced through a pressure pipe to a condenser ositioned in an exposed position on top 0 the car where the refrigerant is condensed to liquid form and drains into a receiving tank within the car. The liquid refrigerantis then permitted to expand in refrigerating coils located in bulkhead compartments at the respective ends of the car, thus absorbing heat from the air with in the car and the materials stored therein, the

expanded refrigerant being then drawn back through a suction pipe to the compressor, thus completing the cycle. The main portion of the refrigerating system withinand above the car, is connected with the compressor beneath the ,car by exposed runs of the pressure and suction pipes which extend up, usually adjacent to one another, through the floor of the car. These exposed sections of piping beneath the car are somewhat more apt to be broken off or otherwise injured so as to bccome opened to the atmosphere than are other portions of the system. In case of such breakage there would be a consequent loss of the circulating refrigerant.

' According to the present invention a pair of self-closing but normally open cut-off valves are positioned in the pressure and suction pipes approximately at the position where they pass upwardly through the floor of the car, these valves bein adapted to automatically close whenever t e lengths of 'ip mg beneath the car become broken 0 or opened, thus sealing the refrigerant intothat portion of the refrigerating system located above the car floor. More specifically, the valves are positioned in the vertical runs of the two pipes and are of a gravity closing type, the valve in the pressure pipe bein normally held open by t e upward flow 0 compressed refrigerant that is forced through this pipe. ;Since the downward flow of refrigerant in the suction pipe would tend to close this valve, auxiliary means must be provided to normally hold the valve open. For this purpose a small fluid pressure operated piston is provided having a stem projecting upwardly so as to hold the valve open, the piston being normally held in this elevated position by fluid pressure conducted through a branch pipe from the pressure pipe in which the higher pressure fluid is confined.

The principal object of this invention is to provide improved cut-off valves for refrigerator cars, of the type briefly described hereinabove and disclosed more in detail in the specifications which follow.

Another object is to provide a simple and effective safety cut-ofi mechanism for sealing the refrigerant within those portions of a mechanical refrigeration system positioned within a refrigerator car, in case the exposed piping beneath the car becomes broken off or injured.

Another object is to provide an improved fluid-pressure operated means for holding open a check-valve, which valve normally closes in the direction of fluid-flow through the valve.

Other objects and advantages of this in -.aem of the type to which this invention is ig. is perspective view of one of the 5, is a perspective view of the valve- 9" en ng piston.

deferring first to Fig. 1, we will briefly describe the principal features of a refrigereting system in which these improved cutoff valves are especially adapted for use. The general outlines of the closed car body are indicated in dotted lines at 1, one of the car trucks is indicatedat 2, and 3 indicates a pair of the car wheels. It will be understood that a similar truck is located at the other end of the car. The principal elements of the refrigerating system are the compressor A, the condenser B, a receiving tank G for holding liquid refrigerant, an expan sion and distribution valve 1), and two similar refrigerating units E and E, one located in each end portion of the car. All of these elements are connected in circuit, substentielly in the order named. h i The compressor A, of any suitable type, is carried in a housing 4 suspended beneath the car, and is driven from one of the car cries or wheels in any suitable manner, for example by the sprocket gearing indicated nerelly at 5. I

The compressed vaporized refrigerant is forced through pipe 6 upwardly into and through the condenser E, which is carried in en exposed position outside of the car body, preferably on top of the car. The comdressed refrigerant is condensed or liquefied in the condenser B and flows down through pipe 2 into the receiving tank 0. From the supply in tank C, the liquid refrigerant is forced through pipe 8 to the expansion and f .ributio'n velve D, which is preferably located centrally in the storage compartment 3 the car so as to be responsive to the temstores prevailing in this storage cham- Prefers v, suitable reducing valve 9 'tioned in the pipe line 8 so that the will be delivered to the valve D at a constant pressure re- "'"essure variation that niey ec *tion oi. the system between and reducing valve 9. V" control valve :9 is so designed as to cram two distinct functions, one of which us be how of he liquid refrigerant e reirigereting elements in limited or u ntities only, so that the refrigerant can expand and-vaporize in the low pressure side of system, which extends H us valve D to and through the refrigax em i d l3 and back to the suction of valve D is to change the distribution or flow of the refrigerant in accordance with temperature changes in the space in which this valve is located. There are two outlets leading from valve D, designated as 10 and 11. When any temperatures above a predetermined maximum prevail in the car or in the space adjacent the valve D, the refrigerant will be discharged through pi e 10. When the temperature in the car as been lowered below this predetermined maximum, the How of re frigerant will be changed to the outlet pipe 11, the flow through pipe 10 being out OK. The supply 10 has two branches 10 and 10' which extend to the two similar refrigerating elements E and E respectively. In a similar manner the supply pipe 11 is provided with two branches 11 and 11 which also extend to the two refrigerating elements E and E.

The two refrigerating elements E and E are substantial duplicates and a description of one will suffice, for both. One of these refrigerating elements will be positioned in each end of the car, preferably in a bulkhead compartment similar to those formerly employed for holding the ice supply, and through which a circulation of air from the central storage chamber is maintained. The refrigerating element E comprises a central brine tank 12 containing a supply of brine or other equivalent material having a low freezing point, there being a pipe coil 13 positioned within the brine tank 12. The object of this brine tank is to act as a storage reservoir for cooling energy, or in other words it provides a body of heat-absorbing material which will function as a refrigerating element in the same manner as a supply of ice would do when the mechanical refrigerating system is temporarily out of action. Positioned outside of brine tank 12, and preferably one at each side thereof, are two or more refrigerating pipe coils 15 and 16, these coils being connected together at their lower ends-- in open communication with the supply pipe 10. as indicated at 17. The upper ends of the two outside coils 15 and 16 are joined together at 18. from which connection leads a pipe 29 to the lower end of the pipe coil 13 within the brine tank 12. A discharge pipe 20 leads from the upper end of inside coil 13 down through the floor of the car and back to the compressor A. will be noted that the two outside coils 15 and 16, in the example here shown, are connected in parallel, and both are in series with the inside pipe coil 13 so that the refrigerant when supplied through pipe 10 will first flow through the two outside coils, then through the inside coil, and the expanded and heated refrigerant from all of the coils will. flow back through pipe 20 to the compressor A. Altcrnatively the out do coils 15 and 16 could be connected in instead of in parallel,

ant directly into the inner coil 13 through pipe 19. At such times as the supply flows; through pipe 11, the supply through pipe will be cut off, so that coils 15 and 16 will be out of service.

In the general operation of a system of this type, whenever the car is in motion along the trackway, the compressor A will be driven the refrigerant will be caused to circulate; the vaporized refrigerant will be compressed in compressor A and transferred under high pressure through pressure pi e 6 to the condenser B where it is relieved o a portton of its heat and condensed, and then flows into liquid form, still under high pressure, into the receiving tank C. This liquid brine tanks refrigerant is forced to and through the control valve D, which delivers it in restricted quantities to the two refrigerating elements E and E wherein the refrigerant expands and vaporizes and thus absorbs heat from the air circulating within the car. The control valve D is thermostatically operated, and as long as the temperature in the storage compartment of the car wherein this valve is located is above the predetermined temperature which it is desired to maintain in this portion of the car, the refrigerant will flow first through the outer coils 15 and 16 which directly absorb heat from the circulating air and then through the coil 13 within the brine tank so that any cooling energy remaining in the refrigerant is utilized to lower the temperature of the brine within tank 12. The expanded and somewhat heated refrigerant then returns through suction pipes 20 and 21 to the compressor A. When the temperature within the car has been lowered to the desired point, the valve D acts automatically to cut off the supply of refrigerant to the outer coils l5 and 16, but the refrigerant then flows through pipes 11 and 19 and directly through the inner coils 13 so as to continue to store cooling energy in the brine confined within tanks 12.

It will be noted that the refrigerant is always active to store coolingenergy in the b as long as the car is in motion, but when the car has temporarily halted, as at a station, the entire circulation system will be, for the time being, inoperative. At such times the mass of cool brine stored up in the tanks 12 will act to absorb heat from the air flowing through the bulk-head comparfl ments in which the tanks are located and thus keep up the refrigerating process until the car is again put in motion and the circulation system again functions. The improved refrigerating system thus briefly described is disclosed more in detail and claimed in our copending application Serial No. 493,897, filed November 6, 1930.

It will now be apparent that those portions of the refrigerating system positioned within or on the car body may take a variety of forms, other than the one hereinabove described by way of example, but that in any such system the compressed vaporized refrigerant will be forced upwardly from the compressor A under rather high pressure through a pipe 6, which is herein referred to as the pressure pipe, and that the expanded and. vaporized refrigerant will be returned under a comparatively low pressure to the compressor through a pipe 21, herein referred to as the suction pipe. Each of these pipes 6 and 21 will have exposed por tions beneath the car onnecting with tne compressor A, and will (usually located adjacent one another) extending up through the floor of the car to connect with the remainder of the circulation system. It will be apparent that if these pipes 6 and 21 should be broken off beneath the car body, or otherwise opened have vertical runs tothe atmosphere therefrigerant could esvention is to provide an improved set of H automatically acting valves positioned in the pipes 6 and 21 adjacent the floor of the car so as to seal up that portion of the systern positioned within the car body and prevent the escape of refrigerant in case the pressure and suction. pipes 6 and 21 beneath the car become broken or are otherwise opened to the atmosphere.

As shown in Fig. 1, these cut-off valves F and G are'located in the vertical runs of pipes 6 and 21 respectively adjacent the 10- I cation where these pipes extend upwardly through the floor of the car. Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2., 3, a and 5, it will be noted that the valves F and G can be con= veniently positioned in the space 22 remaining between the upper and lower walls 23 and 24 of the double-walled insulated car floor.

The valve F, which is of the simpler construction, will first be described. This valve comprises a main casting 25 formed with a main valve chamber 26 from which opens downwardly a smaller chamber 27 at the upper end of which is a valve seat 28. The

lower section of pressure pipe 6 is joined to valve casing 25 at 29 and communicates through passage 30 with the lower chamber 27. A valve guide 31 (shown in perspective in Fig. 3) comprises a downwardly projecting hollow cylindrical shell 32 which is suspended within valve chamber 26 by means of a spider 33 formed with a plurality of passages 34 to permit free passage of the vaporized refrigerant. An annular collar 35 at the top of the spider 33 rests on an annular shoulder 36 within the valve casing. A closure member 37 is secured to the top of casting 25 by any suitable means such as screw bolts 38, and is internally threaded at 39 to join with the upper section of pressure pipe 6. The movable valve assembly 40 (shown in perspective in Fig. 4), comprises a lower valve disk 41 adapted to engage the valve seat 28, which is connected by stem 42 with the piston 43 which is loosely guided within the cylindrical guide shell 32. A small passage 44 leading through the upper portion of the guide member 31 prevents r. all:

the formation of a vacuum above the guide piston 43 so that the movable guide member will fall under the influence of avity against the valve seat 28 unless ot erwise supported. A screw 45 provided with a lock nut 46 is tl readed into the lower por-' tion of the casting 25, with its upper end portion 45 normally out of engagement with the valve disk 41. By loosening the lock nut 46 this screw can be moved upwardly so as to serve as an emergency means for raising the valve from its seat, should occasion arise for thus opening the valve. Since fluid under pressure normally flows upwardly through this valve F, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, this fluid pressure will normally serve to hold the valve raised from its seat and permit a free flow of refrigerant upwardly through the valve. However, should the pipe 6 become broken off or opened below the car, the fluid pressure supporting the valve will be relieved and it will fall against its seat 28, also being forced downwardly by the fluid in the upper portion of pipe 6 which is under greater than atmospheric pressure.

The upper portion of valve G, as used in the suction pipe 21, is of similar construction to the valve F. In addition to the features already described in connection with valve F, the main casting 47 of valve G is formed with a pressure chamber or cylinder 48 located be" low the chamber 47 and se arated therefrom by horizontal web 49. A piston-5011115 a fluid tight sliding fit in cylinder 48 and is vided with a valve stem 51 which proyects upwardly through an opening in web 49 and is adapted to engage the lower surface of valve disk 41. A cap or closure 52 is secured to the lower end of casing 47 by means of screw bolts 53, and is adapted to close the lower end of pressure cylinder 48. The cap 52 is provided with a chamber 54 into which leads a branch pipe 55 extending from the high pressure pipe 6 and provided with a normally open cut-ofl' valve 56. An emergency valve-opening screw 57 (similar to the screw 45 previously described) and provided with a lock nut 58 is threaded into the lower end of cap or closure 52 and when screwed upwardly will engage the piston and through. this iston and stem 51 may raise the valve 41 rom its seat. Normally this emergency screw 58 will be moved down to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 2.

Under normally operating conditions, a stream of vaporized refrigerant under relatively low pressure will be drawn downwardly through. suction pipe 21 as indicated by the arrows. It will be apparent that this flow of refrigerant would normally tend to assist gravity in closing the valve 41. However, fluid under hi h pressure from the pipe 6 flows through ranch pipe and exerts an upward pressure on piston 50 so as to force it up to the position indicated in Fig. 2 so that stem 51 will hold the valve 41 open.

The normal operating position of the valves F and G is indicated in Fig. 2, both valves being open so that a free flow of refrigerant is permitted through both pipes 6 and 21. In case the lower portions of these pipes should be broken away or otherwise opened to the atmosphere it will be apparent that the upward pressure through pipes 6 and 55 will be dissipated, so as to no longer support the valve disk' 41 in valve F, and the. piston 50 in valve G. As already described, the high pressure fluid in the upper portion of pipe 6 will assist gravity in closing the valve F. Although the fluid refrigerant in pipe 21 has been described as under relatively low pressure, this pressure is still higher than atmospheric pressure which is now all that is exerted against the lower side of valve disk 41 in valve G, so that this valve also will be closed by the pressure of the refrigerant tending to flow down through the upper portion of pipe 21. Both valves F and G will thus be closed, sealing in the refrigerant in all of the upper portion of the refrigerating system. Since the greater mass of this refrigerant is contained in those portions of the system above the car floor, it will be apparent that there will be only a small loss of refrigerant, namely that portion which was then present in the compressor A and the broken ofl' portions of pressure pipe 6 and suction pipe 21.

It will be noted that the valve assemblies 25 and 47 are quite rigidly secured to and supported by the upper runs of pipes 6 and 21 respectively, whereas the lower runs of pipes 6 and 21, and auxiliary pressure pipe 55, are merely soldered to the valve casings or otherwise secured so as to form a permanent but comparatively fragile connection so that if the pipes break or become disconnected at all, it will be below the valves rather than above them, thus insuring the desired functioning of the safety valves.

We claim:

1. In combination with a refrigerating system for a railway car including a compressor mounted beneath'the car body, and suction and pressure pipes leading from the compressor to the portions of the system within the car body, automatically closing valves in each of the pressure and suction pipes, and means for holding both valves open automatically by the pressure of the fluid in the pressure )ipe.

2. in combination with a refrigerating system for a railway car including a compressor mounted beneath the car body, and suction and pressure pipes leading from the compressor to the portions of the system within the car body, automatically closing valves in each of the pressure and suction pipes, means for holding both valves open automatically by the pressure of the fluid in the pressure pipe and manually operable screws for engaging and opening said valves.

3. In combination with a reitrigeratingv system for a railway car including a compressor mounted beneath the car body, and suction and pressure pipes leading from the compressor to the portions of the systemwithin the car body, automatically closing valves in each of the pressure and suction" pipes, the valve in the pressure pipeflbeing normally held open by the pressure of the fluid forced upwardly through that pipe, and fluid-operated means including a branch pipe extending from the pressure pipe for holding open the valve in the suction pipe.

4. In combination with a refrigerating system for a railway car including a compressor mounted beneath the -car body, and suction and pressure pipes leadinglfrom the compressor to the portions of t e s stem within the car body, automatically c osing valves in each of the pressure and suction pipes, the valve in the pressure pipe being normally held open by the pressure of the fluid forced upwardly through that pipe, a cylinder positioned adjacent the valve in the suction pipe, a piston in said cylinder having an extension adapted to engage thej-valve and hold it open, and a branch pipe extending from the pressure pipe to the cylinder. I

5. In combination with a refrigerating system for a railway car including a compressor mounted beneath the car body, and

suction and pressure pipes leading from the compressor to the portions of the system within the car body, a pair of valves adapted to close by gravity and located one in a vertical run of each of the suction and pressure pipes, both valves being normally held open by the pressure of the fluid in the pressure pipe.

6. In combination with a refrigerating system for a railway car including a compressor mounted beneath the car body, and suction and pressure pipes leading from the compressor to the portions of thesystem within the car body, a pair of valves adapted to close by gravity and located one in a vertical run of each of the suction and pressure pipes, the valve in the pressure pipe beingfl suction and pressure pipes leading from the compressor to the portions of the system within the car body, a air of valves adapted to close by gravity an located one in a vertical run of each of the suction and pressure pipes, the valve in the pressure pipe being normally held open by the upward flow of fluid through that pipe, a cylinder positioned beneath the valve in the suction pipe, a piston in the cylinder provided with a stem projecting upward to engage and hold open the valve, and a branch pipe leading from the pressure pipe to the cylinder beneath the piston.

8. In combination with a refrigerating system" for a railway car including a compressor mounted beneath the car body, an suction and pressure pipes leading from the compressor to the portions of the system within the car bod a pair of normally open but self-closin vaYves located one in a lower vertical run 0? each of the suction and pressure pipes, each valve comprising a casing, an upwardly facing valve-seat in the casing, a gravity-operated valve adapted to engage the seat, and a guide in the casing for directing the valve in its vertical movements, the.

upward flow of fluid through the pressure pipe serving to normally hold the valve in that pipe open, a cylinder positioned beneath the valve in the suction p pe, a piston in the cylinder, a stem projecting upwardly from the piston and adapted to engage the valve and hold it up from the valve-seat, and a branch pipe extending from the pressure pipe to the lower portion of the cylinder.

9. In combination with a refrigerating system for a railway car including a compressor mounted beneath the car body, and suction and pressure pipes leading from the compressor to the portions of the system within the car body, a pair of normally open but self-closing valves located one in a lower vertical run of each of the suction and pressure pipes, each valve comprising a casing, an upwardly facing valve-seat in the casing, a gravity-operated valve adapted to engage the seat, and a guide in the casing for directing the valve in its vertical movements, the upward flow of fluid through the pressure pipe serving to normally hold the valve in that pipe open, a cylinder positioned beneath the valve in the suction pipe, a piston in the cylinder, a stem projectlng upwardly from the iston and adapted to engage the valve and iold it up from the valve-seat, a branch -5 pipe extending from the pressure pipe to the lower portion of the cylinder and emergency valveopening means com rising a screw mounted in the lower en of each valve casing.

It 10. The combination with a pair of pipe lines extendin ad'acent one another, a pair of automatically closin valves, one in each pipe line one valve being held 0 en by the normal ilow of fluid therethroug and the I 15 other valve tending to close with the normal flow o f fluid therethrough, and means for holding said latter valve open actuated by {iuid-pressure taken from the other pipe- 20 11. The combination with a pair of vertically extending ipe lines, a valve in each pipe-line adapted to close by gravity, the normal flow of fluid through one pipe being upwardly and through the other pipe downwardly,the upward flow of fluid through the first pipe normally holding the valve in that pipe open, and fluid ressure means actuated y fiuld from the rst ipe for normally holding open the valve in the second pipe wherein the normal flow of fluid is downward.

JULIUS KOPSA. EDMUND D. BRIGHAM, JR. 

